The drug war in the city of Rio de Janeiro just made one more victim.Instantly a question popped in my head: How much alife worth in Brazil? and unfortunately the answer is: A life doesn'tworth nothing if itdoesn't belong to a voting citizen or a politician. A citizen onlybecomes important after completing 16 yearsold and only during election season. A Brazilian politician that looksat theelector only sees a vote, not a human being with a feeling heart andblood running through its veins. An incident like the one that killedthe little boy Joao Helio Fernandes Vieites, who were killed by a minorage criminal connected to the drug traffic provokes a lot of anger andindignation amongpeople. They are tired of violence and of the lack of punishment tocriminals. Tired of soft lawsthat incite criminal behavior from criminals and corruption frompoliticians. At this point people start to question: Is this the kindof life we want? Where the act of finishing a human life as in acomputer game is accepted? Where a few are privileged with a life ofluxury while themajority of people can't even afford primary needs as food, a job,education andsecurity? Many people defend that to reduce the majority age to 16years old will solve the problem, but they are wrong. This immoral actcommitted against young Joao made the blood of most people boil, butit's not advisable to put emotions over reason on this matter. To fightcriminal activity is amuch broader subject. The real source of the problem is the organizedcrime. A lot of youths are seduced to join the "militia", a drugdealer's army that have power all over society. Others commit crimesjust to affort their adiction to drugs. They need to be urgentlystopped. The author "Victor Santos"<
[email protected]> is a Brazilian writer with manyother published articles.
